PRESS RELEASE

9/11 families and Survivors Express Gratitude for Override

The following press release was issued today [Sept. 28] by 9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism, upon the historic vote in the Senate and House overriding Barack Obama’s veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA).

Washington, D.C., Sept. 28—Fifteen years after 9/11/01 and seven years since Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA) was presented, Congress has finally acted, allowing the 9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism the opportunity to seek the truth behind the attacks and hold all those responsible for Sept. 11, 2001 accountable in a U.S. Court. A two-thirds majority in both the Senate and House was needed to override the presidential veto. Congress exceeded that requirement, and the override came less than a week after the President vetoed JASTA on Sept. 23, 2016.

We are overwhelmingly grateful that Congress did not let us down. The victims of 9/11 have fought for 15 long years to make sure that those responsible for the senseless murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children, and injuries to thousands others, are held accountable. JASTA becoming law is a tremendous victory toward that effort. We rejoice in this triumph and look forward to our day in court and a time when we may finally get more answers regarding who was truly behind the attacks, said Terry Strada, National Chair of the 9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism.

Congress spent nearly seven years evaluating every aspect of JASTA to carefully refine its text and policies. The resulting legislation ensures that the rights of American citizens are prioritized above Saudi interests, allowing victims to hold foreign governments accountable in U.S. courts for furthering terrorism against Americans.

JASTA’s exception to sovereign immunity is only applicable in cases of international terrorism that occur on American soil, despite the President’s claims that JASTA will leave the United States vulnerable to reciprocal legislative attacks. The law expressly targets those inexcusable instances where foreign governments knowingly and willingly supply the funds and support that terrorists need in order to successfully execute their plans. The narrowly-crafted text in JASTA makes a clear distinction between acts of terrorism and war, and in no way jeopardizes diplomats, private citizens or companies, nor does it expose our military.

Americans can rest assured knowing that JASTA is sound policy, as Congress also declared when the bill unanimously passed both the Senate (May 17, 2016) and House (Sept. 9, 2016), before finally overriding the President’s veto, said Terry.

9/11 Families & Survivors United for Justice Against Terrorism consists of thousands of family members and survivors, seeking the truth, accountability and justice against all perpetrators of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against our nation.